With the advancement of technology and the development of economy, links between different regions and cities are increasingly strengthening. However, planning, management and construction with administrative scales as spatial scales have resulted in administrative barriers such as market protection, multiple regulations, and insufficient supply of regional public services. As the highest level area of urbanization in the United States, the vast space of the suburbs, the improvement of public transport and the popularity of private cars made the population and industry expand from the downtown of New York to its suburbs and its surrounding areas more than 100 years ago. The economic links between these regions have exceeded the administrative boundaries permanently, and have exceeded the ability of the original government to govern. The Regional Planning Association, which is committed to solving these problems, has formulated the overall development plan for New York metropolitan area composed of New York and its surrounding areas since 1929. They have accumulated many realities and innovative experiences in the aspect of crossing boundaries, breaking administrative barriers, and conducting urban area management of urban planning and management from the overall level of the region. This paper reviews the organizational structure of the Regional Planning Association and its background, contents and implementation of four overall planning of metropolitan area, and also summarizes the experience and inspiration for China.